U.S. Delegation Returns From Third Exploratory Round of U.S.-DPRK Talks

Today, Department Spokesperson Victoria Nuland issued a press statement on bilateral talks between the United States and North Korea. The text of her statement follows:

A U.S. delegation has just returned from Beijing following a third exploratory round of U.S.-DPRK bilateral talks. To improve the atmosphere for dialogue and demonstrate its commitment to denuclearization, the DPRK has agreed to implement a moratorium on long-range missile launches, nuclear tests and nuclear activities at Yongbyon, including uranium enrichment activities. The DPRK has also agreed to the return of IAEA inspectors to verify and monitor the moratorium on uranium enrichment activities at Yongbyon and confirm the disablement of the 5-MW reactor and associated facilities.

The United States still has profound concerns regarding North Korean behavior across a wide range of areas, but today's announcement reflects important, if limited, progress in addressing some of these. We have agreed to meet with the DPRK to finalize administrative details necessary to move forward with our proposed package of 240,000 metric tons of nutritional assistance along with the intensive monitoring required for the delivery of such assistance.

The following points flow from the February 23-24 discussions in Beijing:

•The United States reaffirms that it does not have hostile intent toward the DPRK and is prepared to take steps to improve our bilateral relationship in the spirit of mutual respect for sovereignty and equality.

•The United States reaffirms its commitment to the September 19, 2005 Joint Statement.

•The United States recognizes the 1953 Armistice Agreement as the cornerstone of peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.

•U.S. and DPRK nutritional assistance teams will meet in the immediate future to finalize administrative details on a targeted U.S. program consisting of an initial 240,000 metric tons of nutritional assistance with the prospect of additional assistance based on continued need.

•The United States is prepared to take steps to increase people-to-people exchanges, including in the areas of culture, education, and sports.

•U.S. sanctions against the DPRK are not targeted against the livelihood of the DPRK people.

Comments

Comments

Ashim C.

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India

March 1, 2012

Ashim C. in India writes:

This is one good piece of news. Military use of nuclear is expensive deterrant, which all middle and low income group countries would do better not to resort to. But the security concerns of individual countries can be typically different and has to be addressed. There are ambitious countries with many internal problems and have to persist with strong armament policy and show military strength to their internal audience more than to their external audience and neighbours in particular. This problem is most acute in Asia. Therefore, diplomacy for disarmament has to be proactive here.

Frankly, non in Central Asia would have reason for strategic nuclear program if perceived threats from Israel are allayed, India won't need it if threats from China and Pakistan are removed; Once India walks the path of disarmament, Pakistan will have to fall in line but the problem lies in China's aggressive behaviour with not only India but most of it's other neighbours on territorial, water and other natural resource related issues. Logically, therefore, international community has to find ways of dealing with China. However, it seems a practical immediate solution can be US offering suo-moto guranteed military intervention under an institutionalised mechanism if India is attacked by any one if India progressively curtails defense spending and diverts them towards socio-economic sector and development of market economy. In that situation big powers including China can sit and pursuade each other for complete disarmament so that they too can divert their resources to more pressing problems of their economies. The process will not necessarily natural and cause disruptions and difficulties to individual economies because defense oriented industries exist in all developed countries and contribute to their economy. The developed economies have to be prepared to take the hit to be able to pursuade each other on disarmament more effectively.

Ultimately, developed countries cannot preach what they don't practise and if they persist on preaching without practice, that would be seen as an attempt to retain military superiority without having invest more on defense because of recessionary pressures, which sweeps across North America and Europe most painfully. So ideally, when big powers negotiate disarmament, they should keep the entire international community in loop on their own and give international community participation in monitoring of their strategic facilities rather than limiting access and monitoring to bilateral and trilateral mechanisms. North Korea is indeed a good development and while US diplomacy deserves kudos for this, North korea deserves the same in greater measure because it seems North Korea has yielded more ground than US and others who stake in North Korea's de-nuclearisation.